Why a pier and a bulkhead are often one project
Piers, lifts and walls share the same shoreline, so they often share the same permit path. A State Lands Consent of Use is a simpler approval than a paid easement. It covers marginal docks and mooring pilings next to an existing bulkhead, plus a dock for one home under 5,000 square feet. State Lands rule 220-4-.09
If you plan wall repair and a new pier, tell each office about both. It avoids a second round of drawings.
State rules for piers and lifts
What does a pier and boat lift permit on Mobile Bay involve?
No single office does. State Lands, ADEM and the Corps each approve their part, and a city or county office adds its own.
- The state holds title to the water bottom below mean high tide, the usual high-water line. State Lands rule 220-4-.09
- The Request to Impact application costs $100. State Lands rule 220-4-.09
- Docks need a 10-foot margin inside your riparian lines, the extended side lines of your waterfront lot, with exceptions for walls and shared docks. State Lands rule 220-4-.09
- Structures are capped at a quarter of the waterway width. State Lands rule 220-4-.09
- ADEM's fee is $800 for a pier on pilings serving one home. ADEM fee schedule
State Lands is at (251) 621-1216 in Spanish Fort. State Lands Coastal Section Read the permit guide for the order.
What does the Corps allow under its general permit for piers?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) has a general permit for Alabama, called ALGP-05, that covers piers, decks, mooring pilings, boat shelters and boat hoists. Terminal structures may reach 3,000 square feet. Length is limited to a quarter of the waterway width, and up to three berths are allowed. Corps ALGP-05
The 2026 program started October 1, 2026 and runs to September 30, 2031. Corps 2026 Alabama General Permits The Corps asks for a notice through its online system at least 60 days before work. Corps general permit package
A new hoist for a slip you already have skips the notice, as long as no pilings or slips are added. Piers over 50 years old are excluded. Corps ALGP-05 conditions Call the Corps at (251) 690-2658. Corps Mobile District
What design rules does ADEM add?
Piers must sit on pilings that let tide flow through. Platforms, T-ends and boathouses go at the waterward end, cannot sit over wetlands or grassbeds and cannot be lived in. The pier must also reach adequate boating depth. ADEM rule 335-8-2-.05
Bay grass is a special case. Where seagrass may grow, the Corps may require a survey, with recommended dates of June 1 to September 30. Corps general permit conditions Walkways over grass must be grated, and roofs must stay 10 feet away. Alabama seagrass rules
Which local office reviews my pier?
| Place | What to know |
|---|---|
City of Mobile | Docks exempt from buffer rule on 2+ acre lots |
Unincorporated Mobile County | Ask Inspection Services, (251) 574-3507, about piers |
Dauphin Island | Piers and lifts are accessory uses |
Daphne | Permit copies due before building |
Spanish Fort | Building Official runs coastal permits |
Fairhope | Zoning has no pier standards |
Unincorporated Baldwin | Flood Permit, marine accessory |
Sources: Mobile UDC Mobile County Inspection Services Dauphin Island Ordinance 105 Daphne LUDO Sec. 20-18 Spanish Fort Article IX Fairhope zoning ordinance Baldwin County marine permits
Baldwin County wants proof of Corps and State Lands approval when you apply. Baldwin County marine permits Dauphin Island allows at most two boats at the pier on an undeveloped lot. Dauphin Island Ordinance 105
Fairhope's building office is (251) 990-0153, Spanish Fort's is (251) 626-4993, and Daphne's environmental staff answer at (251) 620-1700. Daphne Environmental Programs Spanish Fort Building Department Fairhope Building Inspection
Why do Eastern Shore piers run so far out?
The bay is shallow, about 10 feet deep on average, and ADEM wants a pier long enough to reach usable depth. NOAA About Mobile Bay The Fairhope Municipal Pier runs 1,448 feet. City of Fairhope pier page
NOAA's Coast Pilot 5 says many boat landings on the east shore lie in ruins, a danger to small boats close inshore. NOAA Coast Pilot 5 See the Point Clear guide, the Fairhope guide and the Daphne guide.
How do storms treat Mobile Bay piers?
Badly. After Hurricane Nate in 2017, Baldwin County had just under 200 damaged piers, 62 with major damage. NWS Mobile Nate report Zeta destroyed the Grand Hotel pier at Point Clear in 2020. WKRG report on Zeta
On Dauphin Island, Sally's 3 to 4 foot surge badly damaged docks and piers, including at the Dauphin Island Marina. NWS Mobile Sally report Standard flood insurance excludes piers, docks and most boathouses. NFIP policy form NFIP boathouse exclusion
What goes in the application package?
The Corps asks for a decimal-degree location and parcel number, full dimensions, a vicinity map, and plan and cross-section drawings on 8.5 by 11 sheets. It also wants neighbors' names and addresses. Corps general permit package
Drawings that omit mean high tide are a top reason Alabama applications get rejected. Mississippi State University Extension guide A marine contractor or surveyor can prepare them.
What if a project does not fit the general permit?
Work outside the general permit gets an abbreviated review, a Letter of Permission, with a 15-day notice. The Standard Permit route adds a public notice of 30 days. Corps applicant training handout
The Corps charges $10 for a non-commercial individual permit and nothing for a general permit. Corps fee rule 33 CFR 325
What do docks and boat lifts cost?
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
Average dock, 2026 | About $15,000 |
Floating dock, per sq ft | $15 to $40 |
Piling dock, per sq ft | $20 to $40 |
Boat lift | $2,000 to $20,000 |
Old dock removal | $250 to $1,000 |
Dock repairs | $200 to $4,000 |
HomeGuide prices hurricane repairs to a dock at $1,000 to $33,000. [8] See the cost guide.
Can I add a roof or boathouse?
Sometimes. Under Corps rules, a one-story roof can cover an open-deck pier with no notice. No new pilings may go in, and the pier must be under 50 years old. Corps ALGP-05 conditions ADEM bars habitable structures over the water. ADEM coastal conditions on ALGP-05 Dauphin Island limits a boat house to 16 feet above the adjacent wall. Dauphin Island Ordinance 105
What if I only repair an old pier?
State Lands rules cover anything built after 2003, any rebuild above 50 percent and any change to existing pilings. State Lands rule 220-4-.09 Neighbors matter too. A State Lands lease does not fix a riparian boundary. State Lands rule 220-4-.09
Show sourcesHide sources
Price and technical sources
- Angi. How Much Does It Cost to Build a Dock? [2026 Data]. United States (national consumer guide). Source reviewed 2026-11-01
- HomeGuide. Boat Dock Repair Costs - By Damage, Material, & Part. United States (national). Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- ADCNR Admin. Code r. 220-4-.09 Placement and Configuration of Piers and Other Improvements on State Owned Submerged LandsSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- ADEM Admin. Code Chapter 335-1-6 Application Fees, adopted rule effective October 15, 2026Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- Contact Us (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- ALGP-05 Piers and Pile-Supported Structures (SAM-2025-00970-LHL), 2026 Alabama General Permit ProgramSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- South Atlantic Division > Missions > Regulatory > AlabamaSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- ADEM Admin. Code Chapter 335-8-2, rule 335-8-2-.05 Piers, Docks, Boathouses, and Other Pile Supported StructuresSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- Mobile Unified Development Code, Article 3 Development Standards (amended June 3, 2025)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Inspection ServicesSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- Town of Dauphin Island Zoning Ordinance No. 105, sections 4.7.9, 4.9.1, 5.1.3 and 5.9.2Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Daphne Land Use and Development Ordinance (codified through July 3, 2025)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Zoning Ordinance, City of Spanish Fort, Alabama (Ordinance No. 51-96, as amended)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Zoning Ordinance No. 1253, City of Fairhope (amended June 3, 2025)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Permit Application Checklists | Baldwin County Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- Environmental Regulations & Permits, City of DaphneSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- BUILDING DEPARTMENT | City of Spanish FortSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- Building and Permitting | City of Fairhope, ALSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- About Mobile Bay (WebGNOME location file documentation)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- Community Parks and TrailsSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- United States Coast Pilot 5, Chapter 7 (Mobile Bay; pages dated 25 Oct 2026)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- NWS Mobile: Hurricane NateSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- Iconic pier destroyed, Eastern Shore residents survive ZetaSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- NWS Mobile: Hurricane SallySource reviewed 2026-11-04
- 44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1), Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling FormSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- Living Shorelines: A Permitting Guide for Alabama Homeowners (Publication 3120)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- A+ Applications (Mobile District Regulatory Division training handout)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- 33 CFR 325.1 Applications for permits, paragraph (f) FeesSource reviewed 2026-10-31